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Paul Klee: Case Keenum’s Broncos deliver perfectly imperfect win in season opener against Seahawks

By September 9, 2018 | updated 8 years ago

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Broncos quarterback Case Keenum throws down field against the Seahawks during the first quarter Sunday at Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver.
CHRISTIAN MURDOCK THE GAZETTE

DENVER • This being Colorado and all, I’m guessing you found time to see what happened Sunday afternoon at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. The Broncos survived the Seahawks, 27-24, and they’re 1-0 in 2018.

What transpired afterward, away from the cameras, is why the Broncos are going to be better than anyone outside their locker room and hallways seems to believe: Case Keenum cracking jokes with the five offensive linemen who kept him upright and clean for most of a 60-minute thriller; John Elway chatting up Keenum during an animated conversation next to the quarterback’s locker; Keenum tugging at Von Miller’s slick flowery dress shirt (cape?) until the buttons snapped undone.

“They saved my butt,” Keenum allowed.

Just when Keenum’s debut looked like a dud, it was remembered he’s surrounded by dudes.

“I’m going to keep slinging the ball,” Keenum said after throwing three bad interceptions.

PHOTOS: Broncos vs. Seahawks


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Truth is, my lingering question about this edition of the Broncos was less about personnel and more about personality: how would they reply when the opponent knocked them to the turf?

And there was Seattle magician Russell Wilson waving his fairytale wand around Mile High to steal a 24-20 lead in the fourth quarter. That was the point in the story where last year’s 5-11 Broncos slumped their shoulders and hunted for the closest exit. These guys kept slinging the ball.

“Bunch of fighters in there,” Keenum said.

Woody Paige: Broncos' Texas duo troubles Seahawks

This was a perfectly imperfect season opener for the Broncos. They did some dumb stuff, like the Keenum interceptions that kept Seattle in the game. They broke in rookies Royce Freeman, Courtland Sutton and Phillip Lindsay, who combined for 218 total yards. They relocated veteran wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who scored a pair of touchdowns. They saw Von Miller wreck fools — over and over and over.

“Von Miller is the best defensive end, linebacker, whatever, that I have ever played with,” 14-year veteran Adam “Pacman” Jones said after Miller won the game with three sacks and a strip-fumble that he simply snatched from a tailback.

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Mostly, the Broncos learned they have a margin for error again. It’s been a while — the 2015 season, to be exact — since the Broncos could mess up that many times and still go home happy.

“This might be the worst game Case plays all year,” Sanders said. “The good thing is, we still walked away with a win.”

Sunday was a test to see if the Broncos possess the same intestinal fortitude that lifted Colorado and Colorado State to gutsy comeback wins the day before. After digging themselves a hole in matchups against Nebraska and Arkansas, the Buffs and Rams dug deep and found tough wins.

Then the Broncos did the same.

It said plenty about Keenum and the Broncos that he could complete three passes to the Seahawks and still come up firing a fastball through a closing window to Demaryius Thomas for the game-winning touchdown with 11:11 left in the fourth quarter. The proud Texan is a resilient son of a gun, evidenced by how many times he’s been cut in the NFL (twice), and in his Broncos debut he threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns. That’s a lot against the stingy Seahawks. That’s a lot against anybody.

And he’s going to keep slinging the ball. We’re still getting to know the guy, so I asked Royce Freeman to describe Keenum’s demeanor in the huddle when Denver suddenly faced a deficit.

“He was the same,” Freeman said. “Him in that leadership role, he didn’t bat an eye.”

Soon after the Broncos survived, Denver South’s Phillip Lindsay approached the big boss in the locker room: “Mr. Elway, thank you for the opportunity.” You earned it, No. 7 told the new No. 30. We can only imagine what that felt like for a Colorado native who grew up on orange and blue.

It’s worth noting Keenum’s quarterback rating of 84.2 was almost identical to Trevor Siemian’s 84.6 rating during his first season as the starter for the Broncos. Whether Keenum is good enough to lead them to the postseason is yet to be seen. But there’s an optimistic locker room full of guys who believe Keenum is plenty good enough, and that matters.

“Nothing in my life has come easy,” he said.

The Broncos want Keenum to keep slinging the ball.

(Contact Gazette sports columnist Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazettedev.gazette.com or on Twitter at @bypaulklee.)

Paul Klee

Reporter

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